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The great big "ask an airline pilot" thread!

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Comments

  • #2042
    eatmyshorts
    Closed Accounts Posts: 821 ✭✭✭eatmyshorts


    Jack1985 wrote: »
    Brilliant thanks to all of ye who helped, plenty of study now to understand this fully. :)

    Cheers!

    Just to add, the CAT areas shown are for forecast "moderate" or "moderate occasionally severe" turbulence. "Light" is not shown. It doesn't mean there will be turbulence, just conditions are indicative of turbulence.

    The CB activity areas are ISOL, OCNL or FRQT. Without looking up the actual figures, that means CBs expected to cover <25%, 25-50%, or >50% of the indicated area. Or roughly something like that!


  • #2043
    Jack1985
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,509 ✭✭✭Jack1985


    eatmyshorts wrote: »
    Just to add, the CAT areas shown are for forecast "moderate" or "moderate occasionally severe" turbulence. "Light" is not shown. It doesn't mean there will be turbulence, just conditions are indicative of turbulence.

    The CB activity areas are ISOL, OCNL or FRQT. Without looking up the actual figures, that means CBs expected to cover <25%, 25-50%, or >50% of the indicated area. Or roughly something like that!

    Cheers :)


  • #2044
    eatmyshorts
    Closed Accounts Posts: 821 ✭✭✭eatmyshorts


    Jack1985 wrote: »
    Cheers :)

    Or maybe the chart is a whole conspiracy lead by the US, the Met Office, the mujahadeen, Disney Corp and Kermit the Frog to fool us all......

    Oops, wrong thread!!


  • #2045
    Jack1985
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,509 ✭✭✭Jack1985


    eatmyshorts wrote: »
    Or maybe the chart is a whole conspiracy lead by the US, the Met Office, the mujahadeen, Disney Corp and Kermit the Frog to fool us all......

    Oops, wrong thread!!

    Hahah, who knows maybe METARs contain a secondary meaning after all! :D


  • #2046
    Suasdaguna1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 523 ✭✭✭Suasdaguna1


    What else can you see.? Asks smurf.......i can see id have brown trousers doing a europe to south africa run or vica versa......big MF TZ/CB's upto FL500. Thats the first excuse id have to kick off carrying 30mins en rte extra juice re deviations. Day time fine, night time a mare


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  • #2047
    eatmyshorts
    Closed Accounts Posts: 821 ✭✭✭eatmyshorts


    Suasdaguna1 wrote: »
    What else can you see.? Asks smurf.......i can see id have brown trousers doing a europe to south africa run or vica versa......big MF TZ/CB's upto FL500. Thats the first excuse id have to kick off carrying 30mins en rte extra juice re deviations. Day time fine, night time a mare

    It's not that bad. Been down through that area quite often. It's Africa, so you just manoeuvre and avoid of your own free will.
    Bay of Bengal during the monsoon transit is a lot worse.


  • #2048
    amen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,781 ✭✭✭amen


    Bay of Bengal during the monsoon transit is a lot worse.

    did that once as a passenger. Not nice.


  • #2049
    SamAK
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,094 ✭✭✭SamAK


    eatmyshorts wrote: »
    Bay of Bengal during the monsoon transit is a lot worse.

    I flew over that way in late September and was pretty much smooth as silk the whole way, few slight bumps and the pilot had warned of possible turbulence over Bengal before take-off..but nothing really materialised.

    Any pilots here flown over that way when there's a Cyclone nearby?


  • #2050
    scudzilla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,019 ✭✭✭✭scudzilla


    How come when looking at Flight Radar most commercial aircraft cruise at between 34,000 and 38,000 feet yet the small private jets hit 45,000??


  • #2051
    basill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭basill


    Service ceiling.


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  • #2052
    smurfjed
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,008 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    small private jets hit 45,000??
    Because we are super cool and can achieve a lower cabin altitude than commercial airliners :)


  • #2053
    smurfjed
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,008 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    14063953494_f938d32ebc_n.jpg

    About 4 feet physically to the left, but a million miles mentally....... :)

    Now, i hope that my traveling in uniform on FR question makes sense :)


  • #2054
    basill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭basill


    Jeez they remind me of what the instructors at flight school wore. Captains of a PA28 prophesying about how much they knew about the commercial airline industry in the crew room on a wet and windy no fly day:)


  • #2055
    Growler!!!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,980 ✭✭✭Growler!!!


    smurfjed wrote: »
    14063953494_f938d32ebc_n.jpg

    About 4 feet physically to the left, but a million miles mentally....... :)

    Now, i hope that my traveling in uniform on FR question makes sense :)

    At least they have Velcro on the back so you can take them off ( if you wish).

    Try these bad boys, sown onto my only descent bit of clothing :D. Had to get home from the wavy navy ASAP from Singapore to London then onto Shannon.

    19FADB57078B41D9937E69D3FD73E884-0000371550-0003553105-00640L-44DE8B8C335A47AE8FE9CA3703A5BE2F.jpg


  • #2056
    Growler!!!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,980 ✭✭✭Growler!!!


    basill wrote: »
    Service ceiling.

    I thought your answer might have had a bit more info in it. Like differences in weights or maybe power to weight ratios.

    Even to explain that the commercial airliners can climb higher on a long sector once they burn off most of the trip fuel.


  • #2057
    adam88
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,595 ✭✭✭adam88


    smurfjed wrote: »
    14063953494_f938d32ebc_n.jpg

    About 4 feet physically to the left, but a million miles mentally....... :)

    Now, i hope that my traveling in uniform on FR question makes sense :)

    I don't understand


  • #2058
    Lustrum
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 762 ✭✭✭Lustrum


    Any chance of an explanation about the epaulettes for those of us with none but hoping for some someday please?


  • #2059
    Growler!!!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,980 ✭✭✭Growler!!!


    adam88 wrote: »
    I don't understand

    It's an old euphemism about promotion from First Officer to Captain.

    In the cockpit the move from the right seat to the left or Commanders seat is physically only a distance of a few feet. However the change in responsibility, duties and even thought process may as well be a million miles.


  • #2060
    Growler!!!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,980 ✭✭✭Growler!!!


    Lustrum wrote: »
    Any chance of an explanation about the epaulettes for those of us with none but hoping for some someday please?

    In most airlines it is:

    4 bars - Captain
    3 bars - First Officer
    2 bars - Second Officer

    In "posh" flight schools it is:

    4 bars - instructor
    3 bars - instrument rated
    2 bars - cpl
    1 bar - ppl

    Or something similar to show mammy and daddy that little Johnny is not wasting all their money:D

    I think Murph was showing his 4 bars cos he's recently been promoted? I could be wrong but congrats Murph it's a great achievement.





    To avoid confusion, the pic of my 2 bars was from the merchant navy. Colours signify branches, green for electric/electronic and purple for mechanical engineering.


  • #2061
    robbieVan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 97 ✭✭robbieVan


    Growler!!! wrote: »
    In most airlines it is:

    4 bars - Captain
    3 bars - First Officer
    2 bars - Second Officer

    adam88 was saying(I presume) he doesn't understand smurphs question about travelling on FR in relation to being promoted to captain. I also do not see the relation ?

    Smurph?


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  • #2062
    Growler!!!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,980 ✭✭✭Growler!!!


    robbieVan wrote: »
    adam88 was saying(I presume) he doesn't understand smurphs question about travelling on FR in relation to being promoted to captain. I also do not see the relation ?

    Smurph?

    I may have misunderstood Adams question, so I'll let him clarify it.

    Here's the link to Murphs thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057196531 about travelling on FR in uniform.


  • #2063
    Lustrum
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 762 ✭✭✭Lustrum


    Growler!!! wrote: »

    I think Murph was showing his 4 bars cos he's recently been promoted? I could be wrong but congrats Murph it's a great achievement.





    To avoid confusion, the pic of my 2 bars was from the merchant navy. Colours signify branches, green for electric/electronic and purple for mechanical engineering.

    Ah, that could be it. If so, congrats on the move smurfjed - does this now mean there will be less time for pics of snazzy jets? Or more time maybe if you get your minion to do all the work!!

    When you have the time, what was the process to go from the right seat to the left ie. selection, training etc, and is there any difference between the process in your company and what a "normal" (for want of a better word) airline might do in selecting and training captains?


  • #2064
    smurfjed
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,008 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    I think that I should explain, to start with, for us, 4 stripes means that you are a captain, the star means that you are qualified on a jet aircraft rather than a piston.
    I passed my check ride yesterday and got awarded the position of Captain. I will continue to fly the same type of aircraft that I flew as a First Officer, but from the left seat, not the right one, so this is the move of about 4 feet.
    As a first officer, I was qualified to fly the aircraft, but while that means that I'm a contributing member of a team, the final decision wasn't mine, so if we had problems, I could just go sit in the cabin and play on the internet while the Captain had to coordinate the means of finding a solution.
    But now, all of those decisions are mine., but that said, so are the perks.
    I'm presently sitting in the first class cabin of a B777 in uniform as it is required to be allowed travel as an additional crew member.
    From Manchester, I'm jumping on Ryanair to Dublin where I get to surprise my parents with my new uniform and position, hence the reason that I wanted to use the uniform.
    Hope that this makes sense :)......

    Just to add, that I totally covered up on Ryanair, but put all the bars, hat jacket back on in the baggage hall. The look on my fathers face was priceless :)


  • #2065
    Tenger
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 10,190 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    Well done, that's a big step. And I'm sure its been where you have been aiming for quite a while now.


  • #2066
    Lustrum
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 762 ✭✭✭Lustrum


    Congrats smurfjed, very well done - your folks must be very proud!

    Does the move to the left seat in your company open up more of the possibility of moving types in the future should you wish, or what do you see as the next step forward for yourself?

    (Obviously you will want to have some time settling in as a captain so feel free to ignore this question if it's a bit early or personal)


  • #2067
    Simon Gruber Says
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,037 ✭✭✭Simon Gruber Says


    Just a question about speedbrakes.

    In 2009 I was returning from Boston on an EI A330. When landing in Dublin I noticed they didn't extend on touchdown, in fact it was after reverse thrust was applied and the nose gear had touched down when they were extended. We then taxied to the gate and they remained extended at the gate after the engines were shutdown. What would have caused this? I'm purely guessing that for some reason they didn't auto deploy and the pilot had to manually extend them.


  • #2068
    keith16
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭keith16


    smurfjed wrote: »
    but from the left seat, not the right one, so this is the move of about 4 feet.

    Good work smurf. Sometimes I sit up the front on the upper deck of the 46A and pretend I am flying a plane.

    I will now ensure that I am sitting on the left hand side too, and shout to the person sitting on the right hand side "YOUR AIRCRAFT" as I ring the bell to get off at my stop.


  • #2069
    Cessna_Pilot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 703 ✭✭✭Cessna_Pilot


    Simon Gruber Says wrote: »
    Just a question about speedbrakes.

    In 2009 I was returning from Boston on an EI A330. When landing in Dublin I noticed they didn't extend on touchdown, in fact it was after reverse thrust was applied and the nose gear had touched down when they were extended. We then taxied to the gate and they remained extended at the gate after the engines were shutdown. What would have caused this? I'm purely guessing that for some reason they didn't auto deploy and the pilot had to manually extend them.

    Don't know about the Airbus but on the Boeing, AUTO speedbrakes inop.


  • #2070
    Jack1985
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,509 ✭✭✭Jack1985


    In 2009 I was returning from Boston on an EI A330. When landing in Dublin I noticed they didn't extend on touchdown

    Normal Airbus philosophy for speedbrakes, only when both main gears have touchdown will the speedbrakes fully extend and automatic braking kick-in for example when both rear main gears touchdown they begin to half deploy when the main gear is fully down they fully extend. Reverse thrust isn't connected to speedbrake deployment on Airbus aircraft as its for this reason speedbrakes are also armed on Airbus aircraft prior to departure.
    in fact it was after reverse thrust was applied and the nose gear had touched down when they were extended.

    What I would think you are describing is the ''bogey-effect'' there are two noticeable thuds on an A330 upon touchdown, the four aft main wheels followed by the four fwd main wheels then lastly by nose-gear touchdown. It's only when all eight main wheels are down will automatic braking kick-in and speedbrakes fully deploy.
    We then taxied to the gate and they remained extended at the gate after the engines were shutdown. What would have caused this? I'm purely guessing that for some reason they didn't auto deploy and the pilot had to manually extend them.

    This is relatively normal, for example the aircraft you were on may have been headed for Malaga next and the maintenance team could have been waiting for a wing inspection which can require speeds-brakes be deployed (i.e. the pilot won't disarm them after landing) or even full flap deployment or possibly both.


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  • #2071
    smurfjed
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,008 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    selection, training etc, and is there any difference between the process in your company and what a "normal" (for want of a better word) airline might do in selecting and training captains?
    Selection was by seniority. Although we are rated on the aircraft, the program called for attending a complete initial training course, so two of us went to the USA for a month last November, the simulator training consisted of our standard annual training followed by LOFT (Line Orientated Flight Training) flights, so we did 40 hours in the sim. Then it was a case of waiting for an instructor. For the flight training portion, we had to do a minimum of 20 legs and 30 hours. Then a 4 sector check ride :)

    This is actually airline based training and is a lot more than legally required.


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